After capturing back-to-back District 19-5A championships, the Strake Jesuit basketball team has embarked on a new era, with a first-year head coach and a revamped roster.

Predictably, there have been a few awkward moments for the Crusaders, but new head coach Dominic Amorosa is convinced there is no reason to panic.

"We have a couple of returning players, but they're learning different roles," said Amorosa, who was hired after Wayne Jones, his predecessor, left for Episcopal. "We're going to take our lumps early, but we'll be a much better team by the time district starts. We're improving with every possession."

After stumbling agaisnt Klein Collins 82-72 in the opener, Strake Jesuit won two of five games at the McDonald's Texas Invitational in Pasadena. The Crusaders lost to Bellaire 77-47 and Richardson Berkner 79-30 in Division I pool play to earn a spot in the Bronze Division bracket. Strake Jesuit beat Lancaster 51-42 for its first win, fell to Channelview 63-56 in the semifinals and edged Mansfield Summit 50-48 in overtime in the third-place contest.

With such a demanding field, Amorosa was thrilled Strake Jesuit brought home a trophy.

"Bellaire and Richardson Berkner were preseason top 20 teams. After the way they beat us, it was great to finish the tournament with a couple of wins," Amorosa said.

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Starting fresh: The Strake Jesuit basketball team is rebuilding after winning back-to-back District 19-5A titles. However, new coach Dominic Amorosa believes the Crusaders have the talent to be a playoff contender. They started the season by finishing third in the Bronze Division at the recent McDonald's Texas Invitational in Pasadena.

Expanded roles: Strake Jesuit will rely heavily on its top returnees - seniors Reveal Chukwejukwu and Trey Young. Chukwejukwu, a 6-foot-3 wing, averaged 15 points and eight rebounds through the first six games, while Young, a 6-2 point guard, contributed 13 points and four assists.

Coming up: Strake Jesuit will compete in the Texas Jamboree this weekend. The Crusaders will face Dickinson at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at Episcopal.

"Beating Mansfield Summit was exciting. We hit a shot with nine seconds left to send it to overtime and came up with two big defensive stops."

Senior Reveal Chukwejukwu, a 6-foot-3 wing and one of two returning starters, has emerged as the Crusaders' go-to player, earning a spot on the all-tournament team. Through the first six games, Chukwejukwu averaged 15 points and eight rebounds. Against Mansfield Summit, he tallied 18 points and scored both baskets in OT.

"We graduated several key players off last year's team and we needed Reveal to step up," Amorosa said. "He's a tremendous all-around player and has the potential to be a scorer."

Trey Young, a 6-2 senior, is the new point guard, with the unenviable task of replacing stars Rasheed Sulaimon (Duke) and John Gillon (Arkansas-Little Rock). Young is contributing 13 points and four assists.

"We're asking a lot more of Trey and he's been up to the challenge so far," Amorosa said. "I've been impressed with his ball-handling."

Hunter Thompson, a 6-4 junior, and Brian Doyle, a 6-0 junior, are starting at power forward and shooting guard, respectively, after collecting limited minutes a year ago. Thompson, who hit the game-tying shot against Mansfield Summit, is putting up eight points, while Doyle is averaging six points.

"With seniors ahead of them, they hardly saw the floor," Amorosa said. "But now they are getting an opportunity to show what they can do."